Christmas Island tourism operators fear their attempts to build their industry are being overshadowed by the reputation of the island’s detention centre.
They are hoping to grow their tourism industry to diversify the local economy that relies heavily on its main industry: phosphate mining.
They want Australia – and the world – to know that Christmas Island offers natural beauty such as limestone caves and waterfalls, world-class diving, a diverse range of land crabs and unique bird life.
“The images that do hit the media, and the stories that people see in their lounge rooms, is the detention centre,” said Lisa Preston from Indian Ocean Experience.
Source: SBS News
“So they see us either as a prison island or [they say] ‘why would you go there for? It’s just a detention centre,’ without realising that there’s all this incredible natural environment here.
“The best way to describe the island is like a 1950s Australian town somewhere.
“We still have a very safe environment here for the local people.
“A lot of people don’t lock their houses or their cars. You can walk around the streets at night. It’s very safe.”
Tourists do make their way to the island, but it is difficult if you come from overseas even though the island is only 45 minutes by air from Jakarta, Indonesia.
The only direct commercial flights are from Perth. They can be expensive, up to $1800, and are only available twice a week.
Dutch tourist Goles Coenen was working in Australia and made the trip to see the whale sharks. He missed them, but was still impressed by the crabs – including robber crabs that are strong and big enough to eat whole coconuts.
“I've seen a lot of crabs, but not this size,” he said, “and not that beautiful blue and beautiful red.
“Also the size of the robber crab, I never saw it. I travelled a lot around the world, but it's unique.”
Robber crab Source: SBS News
Lisa Preston said the government needed to release land to attract four- or five-star accommodation.
“I don’t think at this stage that we need huge hotels here,” she said.
“You know a 50- to 60-room maximum at this point in time [would be enough].
“I would see that as a catalyst if we could get those sorts of developments actually happening on the island that would generate more interest.
“More hotel rooms, means more flights, which possibly means cheaper airfares, you've got more restaurants on the island, things like that.
“You create a critical mass, which hopefully would bring other prices down.”
A spokesperson for the Minister for Territories Paul Fletcher said the minister would look at the issue of releasing land more closely.
The federal government has also given the island's tourism bureau $400,000 to promote tourism.
Minister Fletcher said economic development on the island is the government’s priority.
